IOC President Bach to visit Japan from July 12 ahead of Tokyo 2020 Games -TV Asahi (updated)

TV Asahi Holdings

20/05/2021 08:00

(Updates with details of IOC senior official Coates' visit to
Japan, adds background.)
    TOKYO, May 20 (Reuters) - International Olympic Committee
President Thomas Bach will visit Japan from July 12, ahead of
the start of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on July 23,
broadcaster TV Asahi reported on Thursday.
    Plans for Bach to visit Japan in May were postponed because
of a government-issued state of emergency in Tokyo and other
areas aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus infections.
    IOC senior official John Coates will be visiting Japan from
June 15 to finalise Olympic preparations on site, broadcaster
NHK reported on Thursday, citing a statement by Coates.
    The IOC kicked off a three-day meeting with the Tokyo 2020
Olympic Committee and other organisers on Wednesday. During his
opening remarks, Bach reiterated his commitment to hold the
Games this summer, saying organisers were "fully focused on the
delivery of the Olympic Games."  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N2N61LX
    However, the event - which was postponed by a year due to
the coronavirus pandemic - faces mounting opposition from the
Japanese public over fears it could trigger coronavirus
outbreaks and burden medical services amid a slow vaccine
roll-out.
    Although foreign spectators are barred from watching the
Games in Japan, organisers have not confirmed whether domestic
spectators will be allowed into venues, saying that a decision
will be made in June.

 (Reporting by Sakura Murakami; Editing by Tom Hogue and Gerry
Doyle)
 ((Sakura.Murakami@thomsonreuters.com;))